Our retina specialists are board-certified ophthalmologists with advanced training in vitreoretinal surgery to diagnose and manage the full spectrum of diseases affecting the retina, macula, and vitreous.
Choroidal Nevus
A choroidal nevus is a common benign lesion of the posterior uvea, sometimes referred to by your eye doctor as a "freckle." They are found in about 1 in 15 individuals. They can be either pigmented with a dark appearance, or amelanotic, with a lighter appearance.
It is important for an eye doctor to follow choroidal nevi at least yearly because they carry a small risk of developing into choroidal melanoma, a serious life threatening disease. Fortunately, choroidal melanoma is rare, manifesting in approximately 6 in every million Caucasian individuals, and much less commonly in more pigmented individuals.
Your eye doctor is able to estimate the risk of a choroidal nevus to transform into melanoma using a series of criteria that can be found on a dilated eye exam. A photo may be taken to document appearance for future reference. Other tests that may be performed include an ultrasound to determine thickness, or an optical coherence tomography (OCT) scan to help look for characteristics to better stratify your risk of progressing to melanoma. Please discuss with your eye specialist to answer any questions you may have.
Online Resources
- Nevus (Eye Freckle) - American Academy of Ophthalmology
